1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an elapsed time indicator having a see-through region which has a plurality of windows, these windows each having a congruent shape and being arranged at a uniform angular distance from one another, and having a solid disc which is arranged below the said see-through region and has at least two sectors which have different colours and/or designs.
2. Description of Related Art
A number of such elapsed time indicators have been disclosed by the prior art. This normally involves indications in seconds or indications within this time range. Indications in minutes or within the hour range are also involved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,708 has a small rotating disc in the top region of the number “12”, this disc having a slot which receives a different colour in the final minute within the range and thus indicates this final minute to the user.
GB 2,206,712 shows a timepiece with a vernier. A disc having twelve graduations and an hour indicator rotates below a stationary disc having eleven graduations which lie above the twelve graduations and which then form the minutes indicator.
EP 1 168 112 proposes a rotating system in accordance with this principle, this system having a quicker change of the two colours.
In the device establishing the generic type according to EP 0 177 440, each second is indicated by a disc rotated by 180 degrees, so that two colours are visible in the windows one behind the other and this in each case for one second. Round windows and sector-shaped colour zones are disclosed.
This indicator requires a stepping motor which rotates abruptly by 180 degrees after every second.